As Good as Live Aid (85)

Thursday, December 20

Now, I'm not going to say, "I told you so." I'm going to say, "What are you, fucking stupid? Of course Scott Niedermayer came back." For someone who thinks Kevin Lowe is a shitty GM, Brian Burke sure likes a lot of Lowe's ex-players. Chris Pronger, Todd Marchant, and now Doug Weight. So that was the best deal that the world's greatest GM could make?

Scott Niedermayer is a great player, and I know any deal Burke made would have been viewed as: Asset A for Asset B + Scott Niedermayer, so it will be viewed as a win for the Ducks. But is it really? Why doesn't anyone take this idiot to task? You know, the guy who said Kevin Lowe was running his team into the sewer? I presume by "his team" he meant the Ducks. He scoffed at the contract that Lowe gave Penner, then turned around and gave the same money to a decrepit Todd Bertuzzi, a guy whose career ended as soon as Steve Moore's head hit the ice. In case any of you can't count to five, don't worry, Bertuzzi has 4 goals.

So let's see, in an effort to clear cap space for Niedermayer's return, he first gave away a legitimate starting goalie (Bryzgalov), a move which he tried to paint as an altruistic move on his part to help further Bryzgalov's career. I assume when he waives Sean O'Donnell after the Christmas roster freeze, he'll be adopting a young Sudanese boy to play on the Ducks third pairing. The cap hit is only 33 cents a day.

Now he's traded away Andy McDonald to rent Doug Weight for a few months. That move, plus the small one he'll make after Christmas, will enable him to make the mistake of throwing $5 million at Corey Perry over a long-term deal, plus, it frees up some money if Selanne wants to come back this season. So looking ahead to next year, Niedermayer will have retired for good, he'll have Getzlaf, Perry and Kunitz as the only three guys that can score, no cap room, and he'll be forced to give away more assets for nothing in order to free-up cap space. Awesome. I hope George Parros and his Yanni-esque mustache are ready for 2nd line duty. Shit, that offends me...and I'm Greek!

Alpha Mails

Sometimes, listening to hockey pundits makes me a bit aggressive. I generally think I know more than them anyway, but on those days when I have too much time on my hands I feel the need to prove it. So a few months ago, I e-mailed Terry Jones at the Edmonton Sun after a piece he wrote about Daryl Katz that wasn't particularly kind to the man who will soon own the Edmonton Oilers. It seems particularly relevant again:

Terry,

You're doing an excellent job of being a mouthpiece forthe EIG. Keep up the good work. It's not at all objective journalism, but who cares, right? I noticed when Cal Nichols was advocating Chris Pronger should divorce his wife, rather than leave the Oilers, you were pretty silent. Are you upset because Katz is willing to do everything they aren't? Spend to the cap, build an arena with his own money and make this team a winner? Or do you advocate the people of Edmonton paying for the new arena? Which, if you listen to a word the mayor says, is inevitable. If you do, then write that in your next piece so we know where you stand.

I admire the EIG for what they did. I always will. But it's time to stand up and lead, or get out the way. You act like Katz is selfish businessman. What are EIG? The ones who don't want to sell, don't because of the brand association with the Oilers and what it does for THEIR wallets. Nothing else. If it was about winning and the fans and the city, THEY would have said the same things Katz said yesterday. Have they ever committed to that, Terry? Or are they just entitled to keep lining their pockets indefinitely because they saved this team once. Anyway...I know you gotta go....Cal Nichols on line two, eh?

Wow, I'm a dick. But you gotta admit, I was right. Nichols even said so in his statement, that it was "time to pass the torch." And what was ultimately the main factor that swayed the EIG partners to sell this time? A restructured deal that resulted in more money for the shareholders. Really? Rich men persuaded by more money? At any rate, below is Terry Jones' reply:

John,

I don't usually save e-mails but I'm going to save this one. When this all shakes down I'll reply.

Okay...shit happens. And when shit happens, that shit (that happens) is usually the worst case scenario shit. Ponikarovsky and his laissez faire handling of the puck was (we're talking worst case scenarios here) the shit. His stick getting lifted was the happens. Or perhaps the goal was the happens. (I don't know about you but the second Stillman lifted his stick I said "Oh no" out loud.)Regardless of shit versus happens....what we witnessed Tuesday night was 85 seconds of shit happening. Yes, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Merry Christmas...hope the Goat Horns are the correct fit. But lets not forget, it was the Hurricanes who scored two goals and then won in overtime, not Alexei Ponikarovsky.Don't even get me started on the officiating (which was so awful I cant believe Kerry Fraser wasn't out on the ice watching Wayne fucking Gretzky circumsize Dougie Gilmour with the end of his stick.)I told you not to get me started.

Sometimes the Gods just love making shit happen. What bothers me the most is that Toskala doesn't get his rightful W.

(And for what its worth. what bugs me about Chris Simon is that his suspension, although the longest in league history, means he will be back on the ice before McCabe.)

*

Kari fucking Ramo. Perhaps this is just a paranoid statement but are the Leafs the only team that cant capitalize on inferior goaltending? (I mean Kari Fucking Ramo is 2-4 in six, in the AHL)The fact that Ramo surfed his first NHL game into a W while Toskala once again stands on his head only to receive another L (and thats on top of 5 double pad stackers) is disgraceful.Note to Leafs....perhaps its a good idea to put some guys in front of the net.

On the positive side. I'm loving Gill and Kubina. And the line of Steen, Stajan and Devereaux have been great too. Most importantly, the PK keeps looking better and better too.Negatively. Where the hell is Darcy? I was surprised to hear his name called late in the second as I didn't know he was even playing. And is it just me or does Wellwood look like he is holding onto the puck too long? I wont rag on Blake...cos he has cancer.But the PP? Suffice it to say...it burns when they PP.